Category: Activities

While most of our personal photos are snapped on iPhones these days, we never travel abroad without our “big” cameras (a name fondly created by our own children). They help us capture the special details we find along our travels that inspire entire collections. With each SLR camera comes a unique camera strap. Ask our travelers about their camera straps and you’ll hear all types of stories… some were passed down through family members, some were bought during college travels and others were made by hand.

While on our trip through Argentina and Bolivia, we were quick to take note of the embroidery that were carefully stitched through many of the textiles. We came across these embroidered belts knew we had to bring them back to share with the team for inspiration. How do you give life to an old embroidered belt? You give it a new use and turn it into a camera strap!

Follow the instructions below for an easy 4-step DIY camera strap, inspired by the belts we found in Bolivia!

Our Atlantic Plaid Shirtdress from our Citizen Blue collection features an indigo dip dye that is inspired by the blues of the Atlantic Ocean. Along with many other dying techniques, dip dye has been around for many centuries. Dip dying is a relatively simple technique and creates a unique design that can be layered on top of prints and on a variety of silhouettes. It is a great way to give a stained dress or shirt a new life. Read on to learn how you can do it at home!

At Tea, we’re print obsessed. When traveling to a new destination, our designers spend days pouring over print techniques that are native to the country we are in. We love finding new and interesting designs to share with you! For this summer’s Citizen Blue collection, we designed our Sunprint Garden V-neck Dress with a design of a dandelion. Learn how to make a sun print using fabric printing, in your own backyard!

Yoga had its beginnings over 5,000 years ago in Northern India. It has maintained its presence in Hindu religion and Indian culture while also making its way into Western culture. Yoga began as a spiritual practice and as it evolved, yoga masters created a system of physical practices designed to rejuvenate the body and prolong life. Yoga is a part of the Hindu religion and therefore present in the daily life of many Indian families. Yoga is beneficial and fun for adults and children alike!

We’ve partnered with Michelle Wing, founder of It’s Yoga Kids in San Francisco, California to bring you a few easy poses to get started with your little one. Michelle’s studio strives to create a nurturing space where families can connect, bend, breathe and have fun together. Kids can begin yoga at any age, says Michelle. “Our proven methodology works for newborns to teenagers. Overall, the younger the better, to start yoga and reap its rewards for life.” You know that wonderful feeling after a great yoga class? Your kids can feel that great too!

We’ve teamed up with papaya+post to bring you a Holi festival giveaway fit for a party! As we kick-off the giveaway, we’ve asked Mugdha and Avni, the brilliant ladies behind the brand, to help explain the history of Holi and share their favorite ways to celebrate the colorful festival.

At papaya+post we believe in “Traditional, with a Twist”. Basically celebrating the world’s festivals in a way that respects age-old roots but that adapts them to our modern lives. Holi, the Indian festival of color, is one of our very favorites.

In the Bengali region of India, it is a tradition for a grandmother to make each of their grandchildren a kantha quilt. The quilt is made out of three layers of fabric most commonly, strips of worn sari’s because the material is super soft against the babies’ skin and perfect for nap time or cuddling. The tradition of the kantha quilt is a way of connecting with family, even after the grandparents are gone. It is such an important tradition that the grandmother’s will make extra kantha quilts so that if she passes away before all of her grandchildren are born, they will still have a quilt.

Okra is a popular green vegetable in India as well as southern regions of the United States. There are many delicious Indian dishes that incorporate okra, the most popular being Bhindi (okra) Masala. While being nutritious, it just so happens that okra also makes a great homemade woodblock! Woodblocking is a popular technique for printing text, images or patterns with ink on fabrics and textiles in India. Indian woodblocking is typically done with a hand carved piece of wood. Here, we show you how you can use okra to make a DIY woodblocking card at home with your little citizens.